Waste Prevention Strategy 2010-2020
Oxfordshire has an excellent recycling performance with over 48% of waste recycled and composted in 2009. While recycling is important, reducing and reusing waste is even better, and with the amount of waste across the county having increased by 26,000 tonnes over the past ten years Oxfordshire waste Partnership (OWP) has launched a consultation on a new waste prevention strategy to tackle this.
Oxfordshire Waste Partnership (OWP) has a strong track record when it comes to running activities that help reduce the amount of waste handled by councils, and last year saved over £380,000 by doing this. The partnership is looking to build on it’s successes by producing a new waste prevention strategy to continue to squeeze down the amount of rubbish produced in the county over the next ten years.
Sarah Gilbert is the county council’s waste reduction manager and she’s been working on the strategy. Sarah says: “We’re setting out what we think Oxfordshire councils should be doing to reduce waste and where we should focus resources to help people avoid, reduce and reuse their rubbish. “
Cllr Ian Hudspeth is the new chairman of OWP and adds: “We need to reduce the amount of rubbish that needs to be collected, transported and processed not only for the obvious environmental benefits but to reduce the burden on council tax payers for dealing with that waste. I’d encourage anyone who has an interest in this to take part in our consultation and tell us what they think.”
The waste prevention strategy focuses purely on waste reduction and reuse; it does not cover waste collection, recycling or methods of waste disposal. A wider review of Oxfordshire’s waste strategy that will include these aspects will begin next year.
The consultation is open until 24 September and is available here.
